Curriculum

Learn to Live Truth

We believe that the human journey is one of continual exploration, awakening, and application of the deepest Truths we learn along the way. Our unique curriculum guides adults through practical and esoteric skills to deepen into an Awake, healthy, & balanced life in service to the greater Whole. Its design stems from the fundamental aspects of a balanced human life; working with essential components from different wisdom traditions both ancient and modern. We offer quality no-fluff programs at 4 levels of engagement to provide growth opportunities for everyone.

Our unique heart centered curriculum is modeled from 10 essential“Aspects” of a balanced human life.Each program is focused on one or more Aspects, with our in-depth programming offering integration into a seamless, joyful, healthy life experience. There are four Levels of Engagement: Exploring, Deepening, Integrating, and Offering. Students may enter at any level that is appropriate to attend theme specific programs, and then continue to work through our curriculum as a complete program lasting 3-7 years.

Most of our courses are offered as a synergy of local gatherings (San Francisco Bay Area) and online delivery, though many are either one or the other. We have a complete online education portal that has all online courses, course specific and community wide forums, and all registration and applications.

“True education is a kind of never ending story – a matter of continual beginnings, of habitual fresh starts, of persistent newness.” -JRR Tolkien

Aspects

Silence: The foundation of embodying our Goal is Silence. All creativity and inspiration flows from and back into the Silence. We must sit in the silence and find rest regularly. Without sleep there is no vitality in waking. Without rest there is no passion in creating. Without silence there is no peace in living. A student learns the basics for a regular meditation practice, ways to cultivate deeper rest, awareness within the silence, and restorative poses. More in depth programs offer particular visualization and energy practices to be done within silent periods which purify and empower.

Wisdom: The View we have of reality sets our course in life, like a rudder on a boat in a long journey, it is actually very important to be specific in your aim if you have particular goal. Wisdom is embodied knowledge of what works in life, and which routes lead to which destinations. Our Wisdom Aspect includes philosophy and “View” teachings from multiple traditions. They offer the map of our territory we will find ourselves in, with profound insight and practical categories of patterns of behavior, the mind, and consciousness.

Service: And as we become clearer in life, the abundance of gifts we have overflows into generosity and service. The deepest fulfillment stems from giving, through a full engagement with the world, by serving the Beings that are right in front of us while maintaining an attitude of continual service to our own balance and clarity. There is not one without the other.This Aspect includes engaging in the world as a voice of sanity, with those in need and through social justice and new paradigm activism.

Love: Our deeper nature is Love. Love is that open feeling of connection and total acceptance of reality as it is, as well as the experience of our interconnectedness. Humans need loving relationships to thrive, and in relationship to one another, when we are able to clearly communicate and be vulnerably engaged with healthy boundaries, we experience harmony and mutually beneficial connections that ripple out to deeply nourish our lives and everyone they touch. This aspect involves learning awakened communication skills, romantic partnership, sacred sexuality, and parenting.

Ceremony:With clear intention and recognition of our ability to manifest our experience, we punctuate our lives with ceremony. These bolster and support our intentions, whether they be to heal, enter a new stage in development or deeper practice period, or celebrate a union. Ceremony is as much a part of being Human as our five fingers. We offer regular ceremonies in indigenous and yogic traditions, as well as an understanding how to incorporate ceremony into a personal practice to empower intentions, healing, and direction.

Delight: Let us never forget to play, to joyfully connect, laugh until our cheeks hurt, and dance until we forget everything else. Delight is the sheer joy of living this life when we let go of taking everything so seriously. Without a regular experience of delight, life becomes dry and too serious. We offer courses in performance as divine play as well as multifaceted events that will leave you grinning for days.

Creation: It is quintessentially human to create: art, poetry, literature, science, music, homes, businesses… We are embodiments of Creation itself, thus it moves through us. Each person has an inherent gift of what to create in this life, the key to fulfilling work is first self discovery, and then seeking the skills of creation to develop mastery. This Aspect includes Sacred Art classes, value based business & marketing, and writing through yoga.

Movement: Our bodies beg to be used, to move regularly. Every tradition has a movement form as a daily practice that integrates moving all levels of the body, physical, breath, attention and energy. When these practices are incorporated into living, an open sense of vitality, availability, adaptability is the result. We incorporate Yoga into most of our programs, and share the optimal movement practices for longevity and vitality.

Health: Epicurus said “Vain is the word of the philosopher that heals no suffering.” The experience of feeling energized and vital, physically and emotionally capable to deal with whatever comes in life is a birthright and an essential piece of a balanced life. If you dont have your health, you cannot open to the fullness of the human potential. We teach methods to heal oneself and others through touch, lifestyle, and understanding the mind-energy-body connection.

Rhythm: We are embedded in a Universe that is cyclic on all scales, Earth’s rotation is experienced as days, the moon gives us weeks and months, the revolution around our sun gives us the experience of seasons. Within our families, bodies, emotions, and inner growth we cycle through themes and patterns. When we see and align with the cycles we find new strength and harmony in life. This Aspect includes teachings in Natural Science, Feminine body cycles, human development and aging, birth, death, and time on Wilderness and Adventure sports expeditions to connect to our Humanness through our wildness.

Levels of Engagement

Exploring

For those just starting out on the path of self inquiry, or for those looking for more understanding in a particular Aspect of our curriculum, we offer individual workshops, weekend intensives, retreats, and survey courses with no prerequisites. Individual workshops offer new insight and transformation along focused themes. The survey courses are designed to offer the eager soul a clear understanding of what potential is available to them as a human being, and to deliver specific practical skills to blossom that potential. These courses are open to any student.

individual workshops focus on 1-2 Aspects for effective delivery of a specific teaching and result

survey courses introduce all Aspects and traditions we work within transmitting a clear overview of what is possible in life

retreats and weekend intensives integrate multiple Aspects for a more immersive experience and breakthroughs

programs explore the potential traps and benefits of mixing traditions to proceed wisely on the path in a world of overwhelming access to information and traditions

regular open meditations, lectures, and ceremonies offer regular or drop in gatherings for practice, insight and healing

For a complete list of courses current and upcoming see Exploring Courses.

Deepening

For those who feel committed to deepen their embodiment of the teachings or who are seeking a greater sense of freedom in life, we offer in-depth programs designed to permanently transform the engaged student’s experience of living. These programs coordinate multiple faculty and Aspects with well rounded rigorous learning and mutually consistent practices to facilitate alignment with the Whole and the experience of freedom from mind created suffering. Our in depth programs last 6 months to 1 year each, and require application.

Immersion Programs are focused in a particular tradition and incorporate many Aspects. The student receives all the tools necessary to sufficiently clear away the scars of the past and strengthen their inherent abilities and energy bodies, and break the grip of the mind and fear.

These programs teach alignment to True view of the path of awakening as articulated by the different traditions we work within, understanding that each articulation is approaching the goal from a different angle and is thus a different program track.

They require commitment, daily practice, weekly learning sessions, intensive weekends, one on one coaching with a primary faculty, reading and writing and assignments, and often at least one retreat.

programs are designed to be fully integrated with modern living

Other courses include intermediate exploration of our Aspects focusing on thoroughness and quality with immediate applicability in the modern world.

For a list of these programs see Deepening Courses.

Integrating

Once there is a solid footing in Reality free from the mind’s veil, the student integrates the teachings and practices into every aspect of their lives. This part of the curriculum involvesone on one guidance with a chosen primary faculty. Continued daily practice paired with specific personalized assignments facilitate the pervasion of freedom into the individuals home, work, and relationships. Integration programs are highly individualized and require a formal application.

prerequisite of previous in depth program with chosen faculty.

work with a chosen primary faculty with monthly personalized sessions

maintain daily practices as specified

complete all tasks and assignments for 1-3 years

may include internships and apprenticeships within TRU depending on the students proclivities.

To apply email us directly.

Offering

The final step on the guided journey is to teach, to contribute, and to serve for the benefit of the Whole. For those abiding in that which is True, who feel aligned to offer through us, we have roles to serve the TRU community. This includes roles for continuing students and new collaborators in service, coaching, teaching, and community organizing.

Opportunities include:

Internship with faculty or staff in the creation and operations of programming, our cause, and our organization

mentoring junior students and assisting in our Exploring and Deepening programs

working within TRU as staff in any of its operation departments

positions for new faculty and workshop leaders

Working within TRU is a lesson in how to work collaboratively and manage a business holding to the ideals of balance, health, and fully engaged Awake living. See our Community Page for more details.